Friends of Oakfield Surgery

FRIENDS OF OAKFIELD NEWSLETTER

Spring 2018

Staffing

We once again have a full complement of receptionists working in the surgery, Chris, Clare, Pryia, Susan and Sue. They are all experienced, and have received comprehensive in-house training. The receptionists work under the doctors’ guidance and are here to ensure the smooth running of the surgery so that the doctors can offer the best possible service to you. Please note, the receptionists are not expected to offer medical advice. Emma, our Secretary, Christine, our Summariser, and Kate, our Practice Manager, make up the administration team. Assisting the doctors are Sharon, our practice nurse, and Denise our Health Care Asssistant, who are trained to carry out a range of tests and procedures, e.g. blood tests (a.m. only), dressings, removal of stitches, injections, immunisations, travel vaccinations and ECG’s, as well as monitoring chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and chronic bronchitis.

The surgery is open from 8.00 – 6.00 daily. If you feel you need to see a doctor urgently please ring as early as possible when, hopefully, it will be possible for you to be seen during the morning session. Likewise, if you ring early afternoon every effort will be made to give you an appointment during the afternoon session. These appointments will be with whichever doctor is on triage duty that day. Please bear in mind that the phone is very busy early morning and not all the reception staff are on duty first thing. Therefore, it is helpful if you are able to limit your calls first thing to emergency calls. If you are wanting the results of tests, etc., please make your enquiry after 3 p.m. Results are not usually received from the hospitals, etc. until early afternoon and time has to be allowed for the doctors to read them and make any necessary notes.

SINCERE THANKS to all those who supported our Christmas fund-raising. This year you have helped us raise £439.68 and we have been able to purchase a hydraulically raised couch for use by Denise in the Phlebotomy room. This is already proving a great help to Denise when helping less mobile patients.

The committee have agreed that a similar couch be purchased to replace the non-adjustable one in Dr. White’s room.

Patients have also asked if we can purchase more chairs with arm rests for the Waiting Room. The Committee therefore plan to obtain another two of these chairs. May we respectfully ask patients to, wherever possible, leave them for the less mobile and/or elderly patients, or mothers with babies, to make it easier for them to cope.

We thank all patients who add to our funds by putting donations in the glass bottle which is kept on the desk in Reception, and to all those who bring, and buy, books, videos/DVDs and jigsaw puzzles for sale from our ever-popular Book Shelves. Our turnover continues to increase and this is enabling us to add approximately £20 to our funds each month.

EASTER FUND RAISING

Our next event is the Easter Tombola which we will hold in the Waiting Room from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Monday and Thursdaymornings from 12th February until 22nd March.

Once again we plan to have a raffle, the prizes being a hamper, wine and an Easter egg. Tickets for this will be on sale during the above period either from Reception or from Committee members staffing the Tombola. This year we plan to set up a Tin Tombola every Monday and Thursday morning each week. Prizes will be tinned items, e.g. tins of biscuits, tins of sweets, soup, beans, etc., etc. To make it more festive, we will also include some Easter eggs.

If you feel able to donate suitable prizes, we will be most grateful if you can leave your gifts with the reception staff. Thank you.

TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND/OR REQUEST A REPEAT PRESCRIPTION

Appointments can be made by telephoning 01296 428486, or calling into the surgery and speaking to the receptionist during surgery opening hours An alternative way is to book an appointment on line. To do so, you will need to provide ID and Reception will issue you with a passcode then you can log on to Oakfieldsurgery.co.uk and click on Register Now. You can also order your next repeat prescription on line. Once this has been approved by the doctor, you can either collect the prescription from Reception or have it sent direct to your normal pharmacy for collection two days later.

We will always see a patient as an emergency on the same day, but you may not always be seen by your preferred doctor. The receptionist will ask you for a brief reason for the appointment if it is requested as an emergency.

Please note appointments are for one person only. A separate appointment should be made for each patient attending. Please remember to book in on the Auto Arrivals machine situated in the entrance hall when you arrive.

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please let us know; it can then be offered to someone else. Patients who arrive more than 10 minutes late for their appointment will be asked to make another. If you regularly fail to attend appointments it may be necessary to ask you to register with another practice.

If a brief chat with a doctor will suffice, you can call on 01296 423797 and ask the receptionist if a doctor could call you back when he or she is free. You will need to tell the receptionist the reason for this request.

PATIENT TRANSPORT

With so many patients having to travel out of Aylesbury for hospital appointments, there is an increased call upon patient transport. Please note the following if you have difficulty in travelling to your appointment.

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) offer non-emergency patient transport service (NEPTS) in the Thames Valley area. Patients who require transport can access information on the NEPTS service on the SCAS website (www.scas.nhs.uk/nepts) or ring 0300 123 3235. (They will tell you to go to the website but if you hang on they will answer.) If they are unable to provide transport for you Community Impact Bucks have a transport advice line: http://www.communityimpactbucks.org.uk/pages/community-transport.html. They can signpost volunteer drivers in your area.

You can claim help with travel costs if you or your partner (including civil partner) receive any of the following benefits:

Income support

Income-based Job Seekers Allowance

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Pension Credit Guarantee Credit

You receive Universal Credit and meet the criteria.

Please note that our

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Will be held at 2.15 p.m. on Thursday 3rd May 2018

All patients are invited to attend

Please note that the surgery will be closed, for training purposes, on the following afternoons: